Undoing
by Outtie
Summary: This ficlet takes place after the happy beginnings at the end of Season Six and addresses the oft referenced prophesy that 'the boy will be your (Rumple's) undoing'. Also there will be babies. Lots of babies. Cheesy and cliché perhaps, but I do love a baby boom. It's all rather silly really, but I do like the ending.
1. Undoing

The years that followed the death of The Black Fairy were surprisingly quiet ones without curses or monsters or memory loss (that they knew of anyway), so they were very happy years indeed for the denizens of Storybrooke, Maine. Their justifiable fears that the ending of one storybook full of battles and curses would lead directly into a new storybook full of more of the same had faded after a few years of peace. It seemed that in fact our characters would be getting their happy beginnings after all!

The prosperity of peace brought only a few little changes to Storybrooke; Granny's Dinner had been repainted and re-tiled and using Emma's wedding on her dinner's roof as an inspiration, Granny had opened a new open-air bistro up there that specialized in weddings. Belle's library had been re-stocked and expanded, though Rumple still insisted on keeping all the more dangerous magical tomes in the back of his shop for safekeeping... just in case. Snow had successfully lobbied The Mayor's office to get more computers in the school so the kids could learn about the outside world, even if most would choose to stay in Storybrooke when they grew up. Charming still worked as his daughter's deputy on occasion, but outside of the occasional dwarf fight it was a pretty quiet little town for Sheriff Emma so mostly Charming took care of Neil, enjoying the daddy time all the more for all the time he'd lost with his son during the various curses surrounding Neil's early life. And as for Doctor Whale, well as it turned out he was the busiest man in town overseeing the most foreseeable consequence of peace and happiness... a massive baby boom!

Emma and Hook started the ball rolling by having a suspiciously large preemie baby born eight months after their wedding. They named him Roger after Hook's ship, mostly because Hook had decided that 'Liam' was already a trifle overused in his family. The boy was dark haired and dark eyed like and father with the happy disposition of his grandmother Snow White. He was so cheerful in fact that people took to calling him 'Jolly' Roger and the nickname stuck. A little girl named Peggy followed a few years later and while she too favored her father in looks, she definitely had Emma's personality which would lead to more than one conflict in the Jones household when she reached adolescence.

Snow and Charming took their time, but eventually they too gave Doctor Whale some new business in the form of a second son, who they named Lance after their old friend Lancelot and later still another little girl who they named Ruth-Eva after both of their mothers.

There was also a girl named Calliope (born to Eric and Ariel), A boy named Simian (born to Aurora and Philip), Little Ariadne (born to Kathryn and Frederick), Scheherazade (born to Aladdin and Jasmine) and a son for Ella and Prince Thomas that they named Gus.

But to everyone's surprise it was the Gold's that really kept Whale busy having six kids in quick succession, perhaps aided by Belle' suspiciously easy labors and equally suspicious quick recoveries. No one outright accused Rumple of using dark magic to help his wife have an easier time of it, but for certain Belle _was_ a lot more spritely and cheerful than a mum of seven should have been. The children were all named after Belle's favorite things... books! After Gideon, whom she named for the hero in her favorite book 'Her Handsome Hero', there came Novel Gold (a girl), Tome Gold (a boy), Paige Turner Gold (a girl), Chapter and Verse Gold (twins a boy _and_ a girl), and finally little Lexicon Gold (a girl).

But despite the health benefits of having a Dark One for a husband, Belle never quite gave up on finding a way to break Rumple's curse and banish the darkness. For his part Rumple certainly knew that Belle was still hoping he could be freed from his curse, but he thought it was rather a bad idea given the way Belle tended to react when he was good for too long... in other words he was afraid that if he lost the darkness and reverted into his old non-magical self that Belle would be rather, well... bored. But then he looked at his ever growing family and thought, _Well perhaps she'll be too busy now to find this 'cure'_. After all he'd looked for centuries and the only way he'd ever found was The Sorcerer's Hat and well... we all know THAT hadn't gone over very well with Belle, and granted he hadn't looked that hard after that, having decided that Belle must like him better this way or she wouldn't have left him after he finally became a hero and then coming running back into his arms hours after he became the darkest Dark One who ever darkened a doorway.

So If Rumplestiltskin: The Dark One couldn't find a spell to banish the darkness from his soul than surely his wife could never... But then again Rumple knew better by now than to underestimate his wife.

0(O)0

It was a bright and sunny day in June when Belle ran into Granny's dinner and startled the patrons, who happened to be the entire main cast gathered together for some birthday party or other that would quickly be forgotten about in the rest of the story, by announcing in a loud excited voice, 'Eureka!'

Henry looked up and grinned, "Does this mean you finally watched the DVDs I gave you grandma?"

Belle frowned, "What? No, Henry. I'm not talking about some silly television show set in a small town where weird stuff keeps happening. Though..." she smiled up at her step-grandson, "...as you can tell your grandfather and I _have_ been bingeing _Eureka_ on the weekends."

"Cool" Henry replied, stooping to kiss his step-grandmother on the head. "Look I have to go pick up Violet out at the pumpkin farm. She had to finish her chores before she came to the party... did you know she just bought the farm from old Peter Peter? Anyway I'll be back later." He waved cheerily at his family as he rushed out the door.

"Funny I don't remember watching _Eureka_ with you." David joked, winking at Belle as they watched Henry rush down the street with nothing but Violet in his thoughts.

"Still hilarious, David..." Belle sighed, not returning the wink, "I meant his _other_ grandfather. You know MY HUSBAND? That grandfather..." she turned to smile at Rumple who having arrived before his wife was sitting in 'their' booth waiting for her, though he had hardly been expecting her to rush in like this, "Honestly Rumple, sometimes I still think they forget that you're family too. But... that's really beside the point at the moment." she said, holding out her hand eagerly to Rumple, who rose dutifully to stand beside his wife. "Oh Rumple!" she cried, lovingly squeezing her nervous spouse's hand, "Don't panic yet, it isn't 100% certain and I'm still trying to translate it, but I just couldn't wait to tell you all... I think I've finally found a way to banish The Darkness from your heart!" Belle was nearly beside herself with excitement, but though on the outside Rumple pasted on a smile, inside he was seething with ill suppressed fear at the mere idea. What would happen to him if he lost his magic completely? What would happen to his family? For that matter what would happen to the town?! But he loved his wife and who knows maybe being human again wouldn't be so bad? ...out of the corner of his eye Rumple saw Granny heave a heavy meatloaf out of the oven and after slamming it onto the counter he watched her clutch her back as it spasmed in protest. Rumple shuddered. Back pain. Knee pain. Arthritis. He struggled a bit to listen to Belle as the litany of pains he could expect to enjoy by the end of the day if this plan succeeded raced through his mind.

As Rumple fought down his panic attack, Belle continued with her story; it transpired that Henry had recently found a book in The (late) Apprentice's house and he'd brought it to Belle for translation. It was in a language she had never seen before, "Anyway," she continued, "it took months, but I finally cracked it and once I could actually read it what I found was just so exciting that I couldn't wait to tell you all! I'm not sure exactly what all these words mean, this language was extremely difficult to translate and I'm still a bit confused about the verbs...I mean this word here..." she opened her book to a marked page, (dog-earing an ancient book like that Belle? Really?!) and pointed to a particular squiggle that meant nothing to anyone in the room, "... this word here means 'Savior' and this one means 'Dark One' and it says something about breaking the curse and it sounds like they have to do... something together. I'm just not sure what." Belle shut the book and shrugged. "Anyway, I know I should probably have waited until I could read ALL the words, but I was so excited!" she looked around the room at the various expressions on the faces of her friends and family (not to mention her husband) and she frowned. "Isn't anyone else excited about this? We could finally banish dark magic for good... shouldn't there be cheering? I bet if Emma found this book there would be cheering..."

Snow White mustered up a weak smile, "I'm sure we're all excited at this news Belle. It's just so, well... vague. I mean how does The Savior...," she gestured towards her daughter Emma, "...break the Dark One curse exactly? You said they, "she indicated Rumple and Emma, "have to do something together. What does 'something' mean?"

"Yeah, something like what exactly?" Grumpy asked, "Hold hands? Needlepoint? Sing-a-longs?"

Hook laughed over his latest pint of rum, "Eh, go on and kiss him, Love" he nudged Emma teasingly, "I don't know if it can rip out his darkness, but it might at least take the sour expression off his face."

"Well, uh...huh." was her helpful and reply as she stared at Rumplestiltskin.

Hook looked at his wife and instantly stopped laughing. "Wait a minute, Love. You're not seriously considering kissing that... crocodile? Are you?"

Emma looked away from her husband so that he couldn't quite read her expression (not that even he could always read Emma Swan) and said, "Look, Killian, you knew I was a Savior when you married me and sometimes being a Savior means doing things you, 'um... don't _exactly_ want to do."

Charming and Snow looked at each other, a silent conversation going on between them no doubt, then Snow shrugged and said, "What have you really got to lose?" she said to her daughter, "It's worth a try." added Charming.

"Wait a minute." Hook exclaimed, "You're honestly suggesting that your daughter should kiss that... VILLAIN?!"

Snow smiled, "Why not we watch her kiss you all the time."

"That's different!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm a good guy now!"

Belle coughed, "I hate to interrupt, but that's MY husband you're talking about so how about we put your unforgiving heart aside for now and discuss this like adults for once?"

"I do not have an unforgiving heart!"

"Oh?" said Belle, "It seems to me that a man who has been forgiven for murdering his wife's grandfather, might just look to doing some forgiving of his own. I may not have been there, but I think you were hardly the virtuous victim in that little drama between you Rumple and Milah, now were you?"

"Be that as it may," Hook stepped in between Emma and Rumple, "I still don't see why I should allow my wife too..." Hook never finished that sentence as the room took a collective gasp and the dwarves immediately began a little betting pool on how many nights Hook would be sleeping on the couch. Grumpy actually placed his bet in _weeks_ instead of days this time.

"Allow me?" Emma nearly shouted, "Allow me?!

Hook swallowed, "Ok mate," he indicated his acquiescence to Rumple by stepping out from between Rumple and Emma, "Go on and kiss her then. But don't..." cautioned, "try to pull any funny business ok. No Magic, no hands going where they don't belong..."

Grumpy snorted, "He's just jealous that old Rump has two hands." he whispered loudly to Sneezy. "Hey maybe we should ask Doc how many times he had to treat Emma for puncture wounds am I right?"

Hook glared at the dwarves, who fell into a smug silence. Meanwhile Belle kissed her husband on the cheek and said, "Go on it's worth a try. Don't worry about me; I'm hardly the jealous type."

Rather than acceding to his wife's suggestion Rumple looked very much like a man who wanted to leg it. "Belle, dear... don't you think we should wait until you finish that translation first? I mean it could mean anything really. Maybe Grumpy is right and Emma and I need to needlepoint a pillow together or something." He turned to Emma, "My place tomorrow at six, eh? I'll bring the needles, you bring the pillows?"

Emma rolled her eyes at Gold, "Don't be such a coward, Gold. Just pucker up and let's get this Savior party started." as Emma started moving slowly towards Gold, Belle had a change of heart and she rushed between them and said, "Maybe my husband has a point. The translation isn't exactly complete and maybe I've been a bit too hasty and bringing this book here tonight." she turned to Rumple and took his arm, "Come on darling. I think WE should go home and work on this translation together and..." she glanced at Emma, "...alone."

Since Rumple couldn't possibly agree more, he and Belle rode a wave of mutual relief towards the diner door, only to be stopped by the sudden and unexpected entrance of The Blue Fairy.

"Sorry I'm late." she said, "Nova forgot about the cookies she was supposed to bake for the bake sale this week-end and so she decided to save some time by baking them at 500 degrees instead of 350 so as you can guess... that was quite the mess." she paused, having noticed that everyone looked uneasy. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Belle explained about her discovery and that she and Rumple were just leaving to have a good translation session in the back of the shop."May I see the book?" Blue asked, taking the tome from Belle's hands without waiting for a reply. "Where did you get this?!" she asked. "This book belongs to the fairies! It was stolen years ago by..." she glanced at Rumple, "...a villain who shall remain nameless."

Rumple crossed his arms, "I assume you mean my mother." While Belle added excitedly, "Can you read it?"

"Of course I can read it, but I'm afraid this book can't help you save your beast Belle."

"Why not?!"

"Because... because the price is too high."

"What price?" Regina asked, dropping the fork she'd been using to scrap some those delicious cheesy bits from along the side of her lasagna pan.

The Blue Fairy looked decidedly uncomfortable as she said, "Long ago The Dark One curse was formed out of Merlin's source of light magic, The Holy Grail. When Nimue partook of The Grail she infused herself with light magic, but when she then darkened her heart, she also darkened her magic. Merlin wanted desperately to reverse this process, but he was unable to find a way and so instead he found a way to _control_ the darkness..."

"With a dagger. We all know this part, Blue." Emma reminded her, "Just get to the solution will you?!"

"Yes, with a dagger," Blue continued, "But The Fairies never gave up on finding a way to banish the darkness from the realms, not even when Merlin's help was lost to us..."

"He turned into a giant tree... you know like Dopey." Doc reminded the others who may have missed out on the Camelot arc. "Yeah," Grumpy added, "And then Hook killed him."

"...and we did eventually find a way... but as I said, the price was far too high and so this book." she put the book in question under her arm in a highly possessive manner, "...became forbidden."

Belle tried to take the book back, but Blue responded by placing a protection spell over the book so that it couldn't be taken from her. This incensed Rumple who said, "Give the book back to my wife or face the wrath of The Dark One... DEARIE."

"And me too." Emma added, moving to stand by Rumple and Belle.

Knowing that she couldn't defeat them both, Blue handed over the book to Emma. "Now..." said Emma, as she handed the book back to Belle, "Why don't you just tell us how to break the curse already. Because you know sooner or later Belle is going to finish translating it..." she glanced at Belle, "...it's kind of her thing."

Finally Blue conceded, "Fine I'll tell you! But, be warned, if you do this the fairies believe that you will not only break The Dark Curse, but you will also destroy all light magic in the bargain!"

That brought the mood of the room down, "So we CAN get rid of The Dark One and save Rumple's soul, but it will cost us all the light magic in town?!" Charming didn't seem to love that last part.

"It could cost us all the light magic everywhere." Blue corrected him.

"Wait, so what happens to the town after you get the darkness out of Rumplestiltskin?" Regina asked, "Because the last time this happened I seem to remember a swirling ribbon of darkness chasing me down Main Street trying to make me its new dark vessel."

"I seem to remember my daughter taking that particular bullet for you." Charming reminded her. "And you let her."

Regina rolled her eyes, "I didn't 'let' her take the bullet. She leapt in front of it to save me, because we're totally besties!"

"Wait," Snow said, "I thought I was your best friend Regina? What the heck?!"

"A person can have two best friends, ok!"

"Will you lot stop arguing?" Rumple roared, "I think what we need to do is to get all the FACTS out before we do anything else." He turned to Blue, "Now she," he pointed to Regina, "has a point. When The Darkness left my body it immediately tried to find a new host, just as I told HER it would," he glared at Regina, "And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but since the whole Dark Swan/Dark Hook business The Dark Power has grown even stronger and it's possible that I'm now the only one who can hold it in check... did any of you ever think of that? I am The Dark One, have been for centuries and yet... you're all still alive. That's not The Dark One's doing, that's MY doing, that's RUMPLESTILTSKIN's doing, and if you rip The Darkness out of me then I cannot speak for the safety of the town ...or of my family." he looked at Belle and squeezed her hand. "Now I suggest that we all just go on as we have been and try to forget about breaking any curses. Our lives are fine just the way they are."

"You do have a point." Emma admitted. "Things have been pretty good here lately, but I don't see any harm in hearing the rest of it." she indicated the book Belle was still holding. She turned to Blue, "So just tell us how the curse is broken and EXACTLY what you THINK will happen if we actually try to break it."

Feeling on slightly firmer ground now that The Dark One had made it clear he wasn't interested in actually trying to break his curse, Blue tugged at her wrinkled tunic and said, "Alright. But I'll need the book back. It's been centuries since I've even seen it and it's probably best if I just read it out exactly as written instead of trying to paraphrase..." she reached to take the book from Belle, who instinctively clutched it to her breast protectively.

"It's ok, Belle." said Emma, "We'll" she indicated herself and Rumple, "make sure she doesn't try to run off with it."

Reluctantly Belle handed over the book and after a brief search for the page Belle had dog-eared Blue began to read. "...only when The Darkness and The Light come together as one in blood can the power of the grail be unmade with the power of true love's kiss..."

"One blood?" Charming repeating, "That sounds like a wedding thing... remember Snow 'one flesh'."

"She didn't say 'flesh' she said 'blood'."

"So not a wedding?"

"Seriously Charming? We just had a wedding do you really want to go through the process again?"

Grumpy chuckled, "Only a Savior will do 'eh Gold? If I was you I'd just be grateful that I didn't have to kiss Aladdin."

"If that was the only way no wonder the curse has never been broken before now." said Regina, glancing at Gold, "I mean would who would ever want to kiss... a Dark One."

"I don't know sis, seems to me you once had a thing for Rumple as I recall..." Zelena reminded her.

"That wasn't me that was my evil half! And as I recall, dear sister... you also had a 'thing' for Rumple... once upon a time!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself ladies." Snow said, stepping between the battling Mills sisters, "All of us have had those weird gold tinted fantasies from time to time. Though..." she looked at Gold, "I have to admit I preferred the Enchanted Forest version. He was so... quirky."

"Admit it," said Regina, shoving Snow aside so that she could face her sister, "Even after all this time you're still jealous that Rumple chose me over you."

"And I'm sure he's regretted that decision ever since!" Zelena fumed, "Because _I_ had the silver slippers and _I_ could've taken him strait to his son and the three of us might've been very happy together."

"The three of you...'happy' together?" Regina scoffed, "What kind of bad fanfiction have you been reading lately?"

"Will you two stop squabbling and just be quiet?" Emma asked, "After all this really doesn't have anything to do with either of you. It's my decision and well, yeah I mean, it would be weird, but if a kiss from me is the only way to save him and banish The Dark One forever, I mean I am The Savior after all..."

Hook balked, "Well the price is too bloody high!"

"It would be kinda ironic." Emma faced her husband, "I mean, you know you slept with Gold's wife back in the day and now I can..."

"And YOU'VE been with his SON! NO! I absolutely forbid this!"

Regina pointed to Gold, "And HE'S been with my _mother_... and my evil half. I think."

"You can't prove that." Gold said and noting the frown that was forming on his wife's face he added, "Don't make me bring up Will Scarlett."

"That was nothing, Rumple. I promise." Belle blushed.

"It's ok Dearie." said Rumple to Belle, "I know your heart wasn't really in that kiss with Will Scarlet ...especially since at the time your heart was lodged securely in Regina's handbag."

"Don't be absurd, Gold." Regina replied, "Her heart was in my office desk. Top right hand drawer." she snorted, "As if I would keep your true love's heart in my purse."

"Pu-leeze," Grumpy interjected, "One kiss is hardly the same as what I've heard you and Regina were getting up to."

"No no! Not _Regina_... just 'Evil Queen' please. I do not want to be burdened with her baggage thank you very much."

Charming looked at Snow and mouthed the word 'Whale' to which Snow crankily replied, "We were cursed! Besides, didn't I see Kathryn buying a pregnancy test?"

"I thought she was my wife!'

"Well she wasn't! I am!"

"Look," Rumple began, addressing Emma over the continuing argument, "As fun as it is to watch your parents bicker, Emma... I ... I appreciate your help, but I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"Look Gold, there really isn't any reason to put this off. It's just a kiss. Some people kiss strangers all the time."

"May I remind you Mrs. Swan that you and I are definitely NOT those kind of people."

"Thinking about Neal?"

"If you must know, yes. This feels sick and absurd."

"Maybe it is, but I knew Neal, maybe better than you did in a way and I know that he wouldn't mind. In fact I think that he'd be proud of you for finally breaking free of the dark magic." she paused, "Look I know you're scared...I remember how good that darkness felt, how seductive it could be and I think you're very brave to still be standing here when all it would take was a way of your hand to escape."

"Funny, I don't feel brave. I feel terrified."

"Of losing your magic?"

"Yeah, well. There's that. But I'm more afraid of disappointing Belle again."

"Oh, Rumple! You could never disappoint me!" Belle cried, clinging to his side.

 _Seriously?_ Rumple thought, as he remembered all the times Belle had dumped him, only to come back to him and then dump him again seemingly at random _! I think it must be brain damage from all the concussions she's suffered over the years..._ he thought, though of course he didn't say he just said, "I love you Belle." Because in the end that was all that mattered. Not the crazy train wreck that was their past, but the loving relationship they'd built over the last several years.

"Ok. Ok. Enough with all the mushy stuff." Emma cracked her neck and stretched like she was about to get into a rumble. "Let's do this Gold." as she moved slowly closer, Emma smiled and said, "You know Gold, I guess I've never been as close to you before as I am now and you know what? I never realized how good you smell."

"I know right!" Belle exclaimed, "It's like that Old Spice cologne mixed with ...old leather. And it's totally not as potent when he isn't The Dark One!" Rumple rolled his eyes. (And being The Dark One he could really make those puppies spin when he wanted too!) _This from the women who's determined to make me human again. I think I'd better invest in a dog. I haven't had a pet since I was a lad. Animals always seemed to know. I wonder if they'll stop avoiding me once I'm not the Dark One anymore?_

"...old leather huh?" Emma repeated, glancing sideways at Hook, who was facing an inner battle on whether to watch his wife kiss the crocodile or turn away and pretend this was all a bad rum trip. "Clearly I have a type." she said.

"Clearly" muttered Rumple, as Emma moved closer to him and he had to fight down all his instincts to run away.

Deciding he couldn't watch after all, Hook turned to Belle with his best come hither grin, "Well they say turnabout is fair play, love..."

Belle made a face and said, "Come back when YOU'RE cursed with something other than perpetual sliminess and we'll talk."

Tired of waiting for Gold to come to her, Emma yanked on Rumplestiltskin's jacket and pulled him into a lingering kiss. Fireworks flared all over the room. Ok maybe those were just in Emma's head. _That was weird, right_? _Weird, but oddly satisfying,_ she decided.

"Well... that was disappointing." Rumple said, seeing that nothing whatsoever had happened, except that Emma seemed to be breathing rather heavily.

Grumpy rubbed his chin, "Maybe a kiss isn't enough. That spell mentioned blood maybe you two need to cut open your palms or something..."

"Why would we cut open our palms?" Emma asked. "That's like one of the hardest places to keep a bandaid on. The arm would probably be way better."

"Or we could use a syringe." suggested Snow, "I mean why does it have to be knives and such? We have technology let's use it." She pulled out her cell phone.

"What are you doing?" asked David.

"Calling Whale of course." she replied. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind drawing a little blood for us."

Gently David pulled the phone out of her hand, "No I think maybe _I_ should call Whale. Just to be safe."

Snow groaned, "For the last time WE WERE CURSED!"

In an attempt to bring sanity to the room, Blue coughed into her hand as loudly as a fairy dared. Once she finally had everyone's attention back she said, "Actually the interpretation that the fairies made of this spell was that it required a mixing of the two blood-lines, the light and the dark into a new being who would then be able to break the curse with a simple, true love kiss."

"Wait... so I didn't actually need to kiss Gold?" Emma asked. Still a little dazed by her recent contact with Rumple. _It must be a former-Dark One thing_ , she decided, _why else would it feel so good to be close to ...him? I swear if I start seeing Dark Ones in my head again I'll move to Detroit or something._

"No." said Blue, adding helpfully, "In fact you don't even have to kiss on the lips for true love's kiss to work. All you need is love ...and lip to skin contact. A forehead kiss will do as you should well know Emma."

"Then why did you let me kiss Gold?!" Emma repeated.

"You didn't seem to want me to stop you." Blue replied innocently.

"Yeah, well... let's change the subject." Emma said, "What was that you said about mixing the blood..."

"Not the actual blood. Bloodlines I said. Bloodlines. Can you really be that dense?"

"Can you really be that rude?"

"Oh can you both just stop fighting and break the curse already?" called Grumpy, "Some of us have to be back at work by one and I don't want to miss the moment when Hook realizes what 'mixing the bloodlines' really means."

Snow, "Why what does it mean... OH!"

Grumpy nodded, "Exactly sister."

As the realization spreads around the room...

Regina laughs evilly.

Belle says, "Oh, boy."

Charming says, "You can say that again."

Belle says, "Oh, boy." again.

Emma just says, "Huh."

Meanwhile Hook's face has gone white with rage. "You are not making a baby with my wife, mate!"

"Did I say I wanted too?" Rumple asked sounding justifiably horrified at the idea.

"It sounds like you may have to." said Snow to her daughter, "If you want to defeat the darkness, I mean."

"I know this was all sort of my idea." says Belle, feeling a definitely need to stop this immediately, "But I do think this is getting a little bit out of hand."

"It's out of the question is what it is." Rumple said.

"Look Gold, if this is the only way..." began Emma.

"I said no!" Rumple fairly shouted. "Some things are simply too wrong even for a Dark One to contemplate."

"But it doesn't have to be weird, Gold." Emma tried to explain, "We could do it clinically at the hospital and once the kid is born we could work out some kind of visitation schedule..."

"Oh I see you've already decided who will raise this theoretical child." Rumple complained, "Well I won't lose another child, not even a child that doesn't even exist yet."

"Ok, Gold..." Emma hesitated, "What about if we all moved in _together,_ both familiesand that way we can both be there to raise this kid?"

"What ALL of us?" Rumple asked, incredulous, "You can't possibly expect me to live under the same roof as HIM" he pointed at Hook, "Like some kind of absurd Brady Bunch!"

"Hey, that sounds fun," Grumpy said, with a sarcastic leer, "...and you could hire Granny here to move in and be your Alice."

"Not a chance in the underworld." said Granny.

"Hey, we're all family, Gold!" Emma reminded him, "What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal?" yelled Hook, "Why would you think I would be ok with any of this plan on any level, Swan?! It's insane!"

"Who says it's your decision?" Emma challenged.

"For once I agree with Hook." said Rumple, "This plan is insane!"

Again it took a lot of coughing to break up this hullaballoo, but this time the interruption came from another source. "Ah, high moms, grandpas, grandma... what's going on? I heard something about a baby?" he turned to Emma, "Are you pregnant again mom? I am mean if you are that's great, I'm just surprised is all."

"Henry..." breathed Regina as a light bulb was going off in her head.

Similar light bulbs were illuminating all over the room.

"Why not?"

"Of course!"

"We should of thought of this an hour ago!"

"Henry can do it!"

Henry, with Violet in tow, was a bit discombobulated by the craziness around him. How quickly we forget. "What can I do? I'm happy to help."

"Henry!" Snow cried, throwing her arms around her now quite tall grandson. "Belle found a way to break Gold's Dark Curse! Henry! He needs true love's kiss!"

"That's it? That sounds too easy." Henry replied.

"OOOh I get it now. The boy will be your undoing!" Belle exclaimed, "Rumple the prophesy was talking about Henry all the time!"

"I know that Belle. I've always known that." Rumple said.

"But he must _want it_ to work or it will neverwork." The Blue Fairy cautioned.

"Well that could pose a problem." Rumple admitted, "As my feelings on the matter are decidedly ...mixed."

"Are you sure this will even work?" asked Grumpy. "After all Henry isn't technically the son of a Dark One and a Savior, he's the son of a Savior and the _grandson_ of a Dark One, right?"

Regina and Zelena nodded thoughtfully to each other, their old quarrel forgotten for the moment, "He could be right." Regina said.

"Yeah," Zelena added, "Throwing Milah's blood into the mix might just ruin the spell."

Rumple muttered something that sounded vaguely like 'Milah ruins everything'.

Blue nodded, "Spells are very delicate things." she confirmed.

"So that's it? One extra bloodline in the mix screws up the whole recipe?" this from Granny behind the counter.

Grumpy grunted, "Wouldn't be the first thing in this room that Milah has screwed... am I right?"

"Are you calling my true love impure?" Hook asked.

Emma harrumphed. Loudly.

"I meant former true love."

"Well it seems to me that there is no harm in trying." Belle said, taking her step-grandson's hand and leading him to his grandfather. "Through all the years I've known you Henry, I don't think I've ever seen you kiss your grandfather."

"Well..." Henry blushed, "He just doesn't seem like that type of guy."

"I am a difficult grandpa to love." Rumple confirmed. "Plus it did become a bit awkward early on what with me thinking I might have to kill you to prevent my own demise and with you pretending to want to join the family business, when really you just wanted to spy on me for your other grandparents."

"Yeah. Awkwaaaardddd." Henry sang out the last word, adding a nice little crescendo on the end that reminded Rumple of his old golden days. Rumple smiled. "Maybe it's time we both let go of the past." he held open his arms, "Come on and give your grandpa a kiss, me lad."

As soon as Henry's lips met his grandpa's forehead a cascade of bright white light began shooting from Rumple's fingertips, levitating him off the floor. Then the light began looping its way around his torso in shining ribbons before finally plunging into his chest as Rumple let out a pain filled scream and dropped to the floor. Belle rushed to his side and cradled his head in her lap, letting her tears fall on his still face. "Oh, Rumple!" she cried, "I'm so sorry! I didn't think you would be hurt! Speak to me Rumple please! ...I love you!" At her words Rumplestiltskin's eyes fluttered open and at first they were blazing white, though soon they faded back into the friendly brown eyes of her Rumple, who was smiling up at her and gosh did he smell fantastic! If Belle had enjoyed the leathery tang of The Darkness before, it was nothing compared to the warm cinnamon spice smell of the new Light One.

Looking at the true love on his wife's face and feeling the power of The Light surging through his body, Rumple grinned. Maybe being undone wouldn't be too bad after all.

"Amazing!" Blue gasped, "Magic hasn't been destroyed after all. The darkness has simply reverted back into its natural state... light magic!"

As Emma watched the transformation she felt a weight being lifted off her own heart and when she looked at Hook she could tell he was feeling it too. Whatever part of itself The Darkness had left behind in them was gone now and in its place was a joy that Emma had never known could exist. Emma sniffed the air... "Wait," she said, glancing from Hook to Rumple, "Do I smell... cinnamon?"


	2. A Domestic Scene

_A Domestic Scene - Following the events related in 'Undoing'_

"Oh! Rumple!"

"What is it Dearie?" Rumple asked, turning his smiling face away from the baby he was bouncing on his knee.

"Rumple we're pregnant...AGAIN!"

Rumple's smile widened as he looked around the room at his unusually large brood playing around him, "Well what's one more?" he quipped, rising to kiss his wife as little Lexie started to fuss lazily at the cessation of her bouncing. Rumple stuck his thumb in her mouth as his wife continued. "But Rumple..." Belle said indicating their family; Gideon and Novel reading quietly in the book nook by the window, Tome tinkering with an antique clock (oh dear how will he ever get that back together again?), Paige and the twins Chapter and Verse playing with blocks by the stained glass doors and of course little Lexicon cooing in her father's arms. "Rumple... I'm all out of book puns!"

Rumple laughed and after a moment Belle laughed too. After all what kind of problem was that to complain of? "If you're out of book puns Dearest," he said, squeezing her hand, "why not go back to picking names _out_ of your books? Like you did with Gideon."

Gideon looked up drawn out of his book at the sound of his name, "Did you call me mom?" he asked, "No dear." said Belle, "I was just telling your father that, well...looks like you're all going to get a new brother or sister in a few months." Their entire brood of bookworms rejoiced at the news. Even baby Lexicon clapped her tiny hands in delight.

Tome, Belle's 2nd son and Rumple's 3rd was the first to speak giving voice to his hopes that the baby would be a boy this time to balance the numbers once more; Math being his particular favorite subject in school. Novel their oldest daughter gave her mother a hug and offered to babysit so that mama and papa could go out and celebrate if they wanted too. The twins toddled over and proceeded to latch themselves onto their father's legs as they begged for a 'ride'.

"Book characters could be fun... say Tom Sawyer or Huck Fin" Belle paused, "Or maybe I could start naming them after my favorite authors instead?!"

Rumple smiled, "You want to name our baby Henry? Don't you think that name is a tad overused already?" he quipped. "And well it is most unusual for a grandfather to name his new son after his grandson."

Belle smiled, "You know what I meant Rumple."

"Well if it's going to be authors now, how about naming this one after Robert Burns." Rumple asked.

"Why?"

"Don't know I just like the name I guess. His poetry is ok too."

"I'm glad to see you've been reading from the book list I selected for you. But I don't know if I like the sound of that name...Robert Burns Gold ...it just doesn't have the right ring to it."

"Robert Lewis Stevenson Gold?" he suggested.

"Not that one either!" she laughed; "Besides we don't even know if it will be a boy or a girl yet."

"Do you want to know?" he asked her, nudging her playfully with the hand that wasn't currently occupied holding baby Lexie.

"Can you do that?"

Rumple shrugged, "Well I am _The Light One_ , Dearie..."

Belle sat down next to her husband and soon she was cuddling baby Lexie to her chest when the infant reached out for her. "I just realized, Rumple. This baby will be the first child we've had since you became The Light One."

"I suppose you're right. I hadn't considered that."

"Do you think this baby will be ...different?" she asked.

"Belle, we've had seven healthy happy children together, all untouched by the darkness of their father's loins. In fact as far as I can tell these children are merely the children of Rumplestiltskin the man. My body may be centuries old thanks to dark magic, but I'm still just a man. Now that The Darkness has been driven out by The Light...I'm still just a man; at least as far as the children are concerned."

"I never asked...it seemed...it just seemed like you had a lot on your mind after your curse was broken. Frankly I was just so happy that you were alright that I didn't much care what happened to The Darkness."

Rumple paused and looked away for a second or two, the memory of that day still fresh and sharp, "At first it was just like a snap of electricity running over my skin where Henry kissed me and then I felt this surge of power coming from my hands, it felt the same as when I used magic, but much more powerful and I felt terrified because I knew I couldn't control it. The Light wove around me for a few terrifying moments as if it was looking for a way in and then suddenly all that magic, all that power, just charged right into my dark heart and forced The Darkness out! I could feel The Darkness screaming as it was separated not only from me, but from all the hearts it had cursed over the centuries. The Darkness was forced out by The Light and hurled out into the utter darkness from which it came. I knew immediately that it was gone, not just from me, but from all The Dark Ones who'd ever lived. All those Dark Ones who tried to come back from the dead and trade our lives for theirs...wherever they went; wherever they are now...they're all free. Free to move on...I... I'd never felt so free."

"I'm so glad Rumple." Belle said, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm glad too Belle." he paused, lowering his voice so that the older children couldn't hear them, "Belle, I feel like I need to apologize to you."

"Rumple, there's no need..."

"But there is a need. My need. I need to apologize to you for all the harm I've done to you...all the times I've hidden things from you."

"Rumple, I understand that now." her voice was gentle, "The Darkness held a powerful sway over you. It's to your credit that you kept it as under control as you did."

"It's true that The Darkness was always there, like a demon on my shoulder tempting me to do dark things. But the truth was that I liked magic. I liked the power! All my life I'd been treated as if I was the dirt beneath the feet of everyone I met and when I became The Dark One and everything changed...it was such a thrill to walk all over the people who had walked all over me for so long...even now I can remember how good it felt. But the thing I regret the most regarding you Belle was what happened with The Evil Queen."

"Rumple I don't want to dredge that up again."

"Nor do I, but I just want you to know that I am sorry for betraying you Belle. From the bottom of my heart I am so sorry." When Belle looked up and saw the tears running down his cheeks, her own unshed tears started to fall and they mingled with his in a kiss that would've broken any curse if one still existed between them and they both knew they were stronger now for their tears.

"Mom" Novel called, breaking up the moment (the way children are prone to do) "Mrs. Jones called and she wants to know if dad is available for private lessons."

"Private lessons?" Belle repeated with a little giggle, after sending her daughter back to her book.

Rumple blushed, "Emma _has_ been pestering me for weeks, ever since my transformation really. She says wants me to give her magic lessons."

Belle smirked, "Has she indeed. You know if I didn't know better I'd say our Emma has developed a bit of a crush on you."

"Nonsense! She's a married woman and so am I."

Belle smiled, "You're a married woman too?"

"You know what I meant!"

"Rumple you are positively flustered." Belle giggled, "You really never have known what to do when a woman likes you."

"Well in this case it's particularly awkward given Emma and my...history. Not to mention Baelfire. Anyway, I don't think it's me she really likes anyway. I think it's the new light magic. Women seem preternaturally attracted to me since I turned light."

Belle smiled, "I've noticed," she said, patting her as yet non-existent baby bump, "Maybe you should give her a present. Something made from light magic that could help wean her off the scent, or whatever you might call it, that the light magic seems to give off...wait I know the perfect thing!" Belle exclaimed. "Why not finally settle the score between you and Killian?"

"Belle I hardly think..." 

"You can restore his hand Rumple! Give Captain Hook _back_ the hand you took so long ago."

"Actually, dearest," Rumple reminded her, "I did that already and it didn't exactly turn out well. In fact he asked to have the hook back."

"That was dark magic, Rumple. You're The Light One now! All your magic comes from a good place and I know Emma would like it if you did this. Not to mention Doctor Whale. When I think of all the puncture wounds he's had to stitch up..."

"She has magic herself _she_ could give him a new hand if she wanted too. In fact she could heal those puncture wounds if she wanted to too. I think she likes to have people know. Like some kind of weird trophy."

"Well if you think you can't do it...maybe I should ask the fairies."

"Fairies! They wouldn't help him. Fairies are too legalistic. "They'd just say Hook was a villain and villains don't get fairy magic wasted on them."

"You never did like fairies, Rumple. Even now that you're The Light one you seem to dislike them. Why?"

"It's difficult to explain...before, when I was dark, I hated them as I hated all magic that wasn't born of the darkness, but more than that I hated her."

"The Blue Fairy."

"Yes. I hated her for the part she played in my boy's loss. My son thought the blue fairy cared about us, that she wanted to help us, but she never cared about my son. All she wanted was to banish The Dark One from her domain!"

"Calm down, dearest." Belle said, "The children will hear you."

"I'm sorry Belle." Rumple sighed, lowering his voice once more, "But I've had centuries now to observe that fairy and my opinion is that she is utterly without compassion. She doesn't care about people...not really anyway. All she cares about are her precious rules and..."

"Dad!" Tome yelled, unintentionally stopping his father from going on a full rant about Blue and her many shady dealings. "There's somebody at the door for you." he called, returning immediately to his disassembled clock.

Reluctantly Rumple rose and crossed to the door. On the other side he found Regina. "Gold...um hi." she said, pushing past him without an invitation. She spotted Belle sitting on the settee and thrust a tupperware container at her. "Turnovers" she said, "Made them myself."

"Apple?" Belle asked.

"Of course." Regina replied.

"Thank you." Belle said, privately vowing to have her husband check them for poison later just to be safe.

"What do you want Regina?" Rumple asked, clearly annoyed at having his evening interrupted.

"Don't be rude, Rumple." Belle chided him, though privately she was a little annoyed at Regina's pushy presence herself.

Regina looked positively embarrassed as she admitted her reason for coming, "I...want you to teach me magic again." she finally admitted, "The light kind this time."

"I thought you were already learning light magic on your own."

"It's...harder than you think." she said, "It seems like I can only use light magic under duress of some kind. My ordinary everyday magic still seems to skew dark and I just don't understand that! I've been a hero for decades now and I still get these dark urges..."

"Oh so now you've been a hero for decades?" Belle asked, incredulous that the woman who locked her in a cell for thirty years and even after she joined team hero had ripped her heart out to try and manipulate her husband, didn't understand why she still had a dark heart. What about all those hearts that (as far as Belle knew) she STILL had locked up in her vault!

"Yeah, well...I may have been overstating the matter slightly" Regina admitted, "But I have been on team hero for decades, even if I wasn't always acting like one."

"Yes, well, the Charmings are nothing if not willing to overlook the faults of anyone willing to help them out of the seeming endless series of scrapes they were always getting themselves into." Rumple stated. He paused to look to his wife for advice on how to proceed. Belle nodded and Rumple sighed as he turned back to Regina, "Well I guess I'm back to being your teacher again Regina. Hopefully this time with better results. But I warn you, I'm still getting used to light magic myself."

"But you're 'The Light One'" said Regina using air quotes, "How can you not know everything about light magic? You're the most powerful wizard who ever lived!"

"I had centuries to master dark magic, Regina. This light magic is still new to me and I hardly think..."

"Don't be silly, Rumple." interrupted Belle, "You've spent every day since your transformation studying your new magic and I absolutely believe you can teach Regina to use light magic and give up dark magic for good."

"It's worth a shot." Regina said with a shrug.

Rumple looked from Regina to Belle and he folded. "Ok." he nodded. "We'll give it a try."

"Thanks." Regina said, looking genuinely pleased, "Wait...I don't have to call you 'Master' again do I?" she asked. Another knock on the door saved Rumple from answering that one.

Belle still carrying Lexie went to open the door and to no one's surprise she found Emma on the other side. "Good afternoon Mrs. Jones." Belle said, sweetly emphasizing the 'Mrs.' ..."May I help you?"

"Yeah, I uh, came about those magic lessons..."

"I'd never have guessed." Belle quipped, stepping aside to let Emma enter. "As it happens," she told her latest uninvited guest, "Regina beat you to it."

Suddenly Rumple had a brilliant idea. "You know Emma; this might just be a useful coincidence. Since both of you want to learn how to better focus your light magic, perhaps we could arrange for the three of us to meet up say one a month..."

"The three of us?" Emma queried, "I was um, kind of hoping for private lessons." she added with a blush.

Regina crossed her arms, "Well, maybe it's best that I came here tonight. Clearly you two still have some weird former Dark One connection going on." she said.

"Why do you even need lessons Regina? You're miles ahead of me. Probably because you're like forty years older..."

"That was uncalled for Miss Swan...'er Mrs. Jones! And yes I may be light years ahead of you in _skill_ , but I still have darkness issues that even your brief stint as an actual Dark One can't compare to, so don't act like you're the only one with problems!"

"Darkness issues?" Emma repeated, "Regina The Darkness was banished when Gold's curse was broken."

"Yes 'THE' Darkness was banished, but darkness still exists because _people_ still exist! Have you read a newspaper lately?" Regina asked her.

"Is that true?" Emma asked Rumple.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is true." he confirmed, "The Darkness was an.. _.entity_ in its own right. While it was the single most powerful source of darkness in our realm, it certainly wasn't the only one. There is still evil out there waiting to be fought and, odd group though we may be, we just might be the heroes this world needs when the next catastrophe strikes."

"That's a sobering thought." Regina said, "To think that the next time some magic windbag tries to blow down Storybrooke you and I will be on the same side Gold."

"Hey, don't forget me!" said Emma.

"You could be like The Three Musketeers!" chimed in Belle.

"Or the Power Rangers." Emma added, "Oh I call dibs on red!"

"Or maybe the Three Stooges might be more accurate" quipped Regina, rolling her eyes at Emma's suggestion. "And clearly RED...is MY color."

"Maybe we should work on our team name later." said Gold, taking Emma and Regina by their elbows and not subtly all at steering them towards the door.

"Wait Gold, when is our first lesson anyway?" asked Regina as she twisted her way out of Rumple's grasp before he quite had them out the door.

"I'll call you." he said, giving both ladies a smile as he closed the door right in their faces. "Whew" Belle said in relief once the door closed on the two forceful women. "Rumple, I know this feels like a terrible imposition, but I think it was good of you to agree to teach them. And who knows maybe you could stand to learn a thing or two about light magic too."

"I am The Light One dearie."

"Yes, but I bet you didn't know all that much about dark magic when you first became The Dark One."

"True. But I did have a very helpful being in The Dark One. He came to me in the form of his last host Zoso and taught me much about the ways of the dark."

"So do you have a Light...Essence helping you right now?"

"No actually I don't. Maybe because I am the first Light One there simply isn't one available or possibly that just isn't the way light magic...works."

"Regardless I know you'll be a wonderful teacher Rumple. The best teachers are always the ones who are still learning themselves and I think maybe the three of you might be good for each other. You could certainly use more experience working on a team Rumple."

"You're all the team I need Belle...well you and the 5% of the population of Storybrooke that I like to call my children. But you might be right about the experience being good for me. I only hope these monthly 'team' meetings don't make whatever connection Emma has for me worse."

"Maybe she's just unhappy at home? Even married people fight ...as you well know."

"Yes from BOTH my marriages." he chuckled.

"Why not do something for Hook and Emma and restore Hook's hand? It might just be the boost Emma needs to get her groove back."

"Is that a literary reference Belle?"

"No dear; film."

"Films...I never did develop a taste for those. Really if it wasn't for Henry's insistence on lending us those television discs I don't think we'd even own one."

Belle smiled, "You won't get any argument from me Rumple, you know books are my first love..." she leaned in and kissed her husband, "Ok maybe they're my second love."

"I'm very relieved to hear it." he said.

"And you will do something about Hook's hand?" Belle asked, going back for another kiss.

"Ok dearest. But I'm not about to leave my warm home tonight. No tonight we celebrate the newest member of clan Gold." He kissed his wife for the third, but not the last time in as many minutes. "I'll take care of Captain _Jones_ later."

(O)

 _The next evening at The Jones' House_

Emma rose from her evening cocoa and answered the soft knock on her door. She was astonished to see a walking scroll enter her doorway with a lift of it cap. The scroll walked right past Emma and Hook and hopped up onto their coffee table, unfurling itself right beside their cocoa mugs.

"What the hell is that?" Emma asked.

"You're The Savior you tell me."

Emma picked up the scroll and began to read and as soon as she finished the last words her husband jumped like he'd just been zapped.

"What the devil." said Hook looking down at his hands which were tingling like mad. "My hands hurt more than my head after a bad night of rum." he exclaimed.

"Your hands?" Emma repeated staring at his new appendage, "Killian you have HANDS!"

"What?" he cried, "But how?!"

Emma snapped her fingers. "Gold. I bet this was Gold's doing. He's such a sweet guy."

"Sweet? _My_ crocodile sweet?! Oh well I guess this isn't all bad." he admitted as he enjoyed flexing his new fingers and thinking about all the lovely things he could do with them.

"I'll say." said Emma wrapping her husband's hands around her waist. They shared a tender kiss and as Killian slipped a hand up her back she added, "Oh my. It looks like Captain Hands is back in business..."

(O)

Back at The Gold's abode in the big pink house, Rumple and Belle enjoyed a quiet evening alone now that the kids were finally asleep. Belle sat in her easy chair by the fire with her feet curling underneath her and her nose stuck deep into a book as Rumple gazed fondly on her from his own easy chair where he was diligently working on the family's latest pair of golden booties.

THE END


End file.
